I had the great fortune to see one of my favorite guitar players perform yesterday at a clinic here in Chicago…the very elusive and talented Andy Timmons. As a teen in the 80’s, I was very influenced by the heavy metal scene and Andy was in the band Danger Danger. However, I didn’t hear any of his music until about five years ago. He’s put out a few solo instrumental albums and plays in Olivia Newton-John’s band. I guess you can say he’s a virtuoso guitar player with a combination of amazing technical prowess and a magically melodic tone.

In person, I found Andy to be very down to earth and a very humorous storyteller as he talked about the craft of songwriting and musical influences. Afterward, he spent time taking pictures, talking and signing CDs.

The video below was for a song called “Gone,” which was written on 9/11/01.

For more information about Andy, check out his website here. For additional videos…

I’ve got a confession to make…back when I was a kid, I fell for the old invisible dog trick. I was with my mother waiting for a bus in the wintertime. Suddenly I saw someone with a leash, but there was no dog. Needless to say I was pretty confused. But, since I was about six or seven, I absolutely believed that it was possible for someone to be walking an invisible dog.

So it was of great interest to watch the latest “mission” from the gang at Improv Everywhere. I think you’ll enjoy this…

As a music lover, I’m always on the lookout for new musicians. About a month ago, I was at a festival in a nearby Chicago suburb and discovered an amazing blues and R & B guitar player Melvin Taylor. I snapped the above picture as he used his second guitar in a guitar solo. Among the songs he played that day was an awesome version of George Benson’s “Breezin,” a song I forgot a long time ago. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Here’s a sample of his music:

I hope you enjoyed and that you have a great weekend. How about you…did you make any interesting musical discoveries over the summer?

I’ve celebrated International Talk Like a Pirate Day the last few years – mostly by engaging in some memorable nonsensical conversations with my coworkers. Unlike some of the other “holidays” out there, International Talk Like A Pirate Day was created not to sell greeting cards, but to have fun and celebrate all things pirate. In other words, it feels like a “holiday” without the stress or the agenda.

While I’m not into robbery on the high seas, I can appreciate a pirate’s sense of adventure and passion for travel. For many of us these days, adventure usually means getting stuck in traffic, getting into an accident or hitting a new high score on your kid’s PlayStation video game. I can also appreciate a pirate’s desire for treasure. I’m still searching for mine. However, not to get all spiritual on ye, I’m learning that its not about the treasure, but its about the journey. For now, enjoy this vid:

Oh, in case you’re interested click here to visit the official Talk Like a Pirate Day website. I know ye’ll especially like the top ten pickup lines for use on International Talk Like a Pirate Day.